Do’s and don’ts of launching your ecommerce business

Published 16th August, 2016

Taking your business online can be trickier than many people imagine, it takes time, money and patience, there’s nothing quick and easy about setting up your online store and it can take a lot of hard work. If you’ve decided you want to venture into the world of ecommerce then you need to be organised and you need to know what to expect.

Sometimes knowing what not to do is equally as important as knowing what to do, which is why today we’ve put together a list of the important do’s and don’ts of launching your ecommerce store.

Do

Spend time making your website look good

There are a huge number of websites available online, many offering the exact same thing as you are. If you really want to make an impression and give your business as professional start then you really need to create a well designed, aesthetically pleasing website. Spending the time to focus on the little things such as the design of your website could be a huge difference between a successful launch and an unsuccessful one.

Keep it clean

Don’t clutter your website with unnecessary information or images. Whilst you want your website feature great content you don’t want it to be cluttered. Your website is the home of your business and often is the first thing customers will see when they find your business. If your website is too cluttered and confusing they’re not going to be impressed. Keep your website simple and your customers will keep coming back.

Use high quality images

They say ‘a picture tells a thousand words’ and when it comes to your ecommerce store this couldn’t be more true. You need to display your products to show off just how great they are, using high quality, crisp photographs, showing off your product from a number of angles means that your customers can get a full view of your products, meaning they can make an informed choice when buying from your store.

Remember security

If your potential customers don’t trust your website then they aren’t going to buy from you. An average customer decides if they trust your ecommerce store within 30 seconds of viewing it, so it’s important you include security icons and security certificates so customers can be aware that you are a secure, trustworthy company.

Test your website

Whether it’s the launch of your website or a relaunch of an existing store always make sure you test your website. You need to make sure your website is working fully before you even think about going live, your customers want a website that works properly on a range of devices and screens, if your website doesn’t work then your business will struggle to succeed.

Don’t

Don’t overcomplicate the checkout process

The biggest reason for shopping cart abandonment is a complicated checkout process. Your customers don’t want a longwinded checkout process, they want a simple, easy to complete checkout process, meaning they can select and buy their item in a couple of minutes. If you utilise your checkout process and give customers the service they want you’re guaranteed to satisfy your customers.

Don’t ignore your marketing

Many believe that if you build a great website then they’re just going to get found, however this isn’t the case. You need to embrace marketing if you really want your business to be found. Embracing techniques such as SEO, Pay Per Click, social media and email marketing means that you can reach out to a number of customers and potential customers and ultimately means you can increase sales.

Don’t give up straight away

You might be tempted to give up at the first sign of trouble but don’t. Running an ecommerce business can be hard and things can go wrong but it doesn’t mean you should just give up. Keep testing your ideas and come up with efficient ways to solve your problems, with planning and organisation comes ecommerce success.

With so much potential in ecommerce, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t take your business online and with a positive and personal customer experience, not only can you create a strong customer friendly brand, but fully develop into a successful, established ecommerce business. So how about it, do you or don’t you?